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Expedition Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged
Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- From:
- Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #18 - ABV:
- 13.4%
- Score:
- 99
Ranked #259 - Avg:
- 4.47 | pDev: 6.26%
- Reviews:
- 167
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 09, 2024
- Added:
- Dec 13, 2004
- Wants:
- 147
- Gots:
- 114
This 12 month barrel-aged version of our award-winning Expedition Stout thirsts for travel, but is perfectly content to sit in your cellar, maturing, until you are ready. The tough part? Deciding if you want to enjoy it now or wait until later. You can't go wrong either way.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by goleeoh:
Rated by goleeoh from Michigan
4.28/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Mar 04, 2021
4.28/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Mar 04, 2021
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
4.61/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.61/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
At 13% this brings the heat but comes off smooth and mellow. Pours like used motor oil, thick and viscous. Barrel notes on the nose, with the sip following suit. Utterly fantastic, and a well-deserved sipper.
Jan 09, 2024Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania
4.36/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Expedition Stout Bourbon Barrel-Aged from Bell’s Brewery. 12 oz bottle. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Received from @Whyteboar in NBW BIF #16. Reviewed 17/12/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottle marked on back label “Shelf Life – Unlimited” also “PKG 11/17/2021). Served at 53.8 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 57.3 degrees.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Brown (SRM 20), nearly opaque.
Body - Ruby Brown (SRM 24), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, opaque but some light penetrates the edges – ruby.
Head – Small (Maximum 0.7 cm, aggressive center pour), camel, high density, quickly diminishing to a 0.15 cm crown with a thin, partial cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.5 – Chocolate and bourbon edge out roasted malt as the dominant aromas, no hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Flavor follows the nose – roasted malt, slightly bitter, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (13.4 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Marked gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4.5 – Medium, creamy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Looks like used motor oil minus the sheen, very average for a RIS. The aromas and flavors duplicate each other and reinforce the sensory perceptions. The ethanol is totally hidden, making this dangerously quaffable. Damn good!
Dec 17, 2022Bottle marked on back label “Shelf Life – Unlimited” also “PKG 11/17/2021). Served at 53.8 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 57.3 degrees.
Appearance – 3.
First pour – Brown (SRM 20), nearly opaque.
Body - Ruby Brown (SRM 24), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, opaque but some light penetrates the edges – ruby.
Head – Small (Maximum 0.7 cm, aggressive center pour), camel, high density, quickly diminishing to a 0.15 cm crown with a thin, partial cap.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.5 – Chocolate and bourbon edge out roasted malt as the dominant aromas, no hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4.5 – Flavor follows the nose – roasted malt, slightly bitter, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (13.4 % ABV as marked on label) aroma or taste. Marked gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4.5 – Medium, creamy, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Looks like used motor oil minus the sheen, very average for a RIS. The aromas and flavors duplicate each other and reinforce the sensory perceptions. The ethanol is totally hidden, making this dangerously quaffable. Damn good!
Reviewed by brewskis from Indiana
4.43/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.43/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours pitch black with a finger of dark mocha head. Aroma and taste giving off loads of roasted malt, peat, coffee grounds, dark chocolate, black cherry, prune, caramel, molasses, tobacco, drying oak tannin, significant bourbon, nice amount of vanilla. Low full body. Oily, sticky, silky. A gigantic beer that doesn't disappoint. Well done as expected.
Jul 02, 2022Reviewed by AlarmClock314 from Wisconsin
4.52/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.52/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz bottle, package date of 11/17/21. Pours black with a very small sized brown head. Smells of bourbon, cocoa, vanilla, dark fruit, dark roasted malt, and earthy hops. The taste follows exactly. Good intensity and balanced flavors. Moderate bitterness and dryness in the finish. Above average body and low carbonation. Overall this is a great barrel aged RIS; strong yet smooth and drinkable.
Jun 19, 2022Reviewed by Mitchster from Michigan
4.38/5 rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Many thanks to Erland for sharing this one. Pkgd 11/17/21. 13.4% ABV, 12oz bottle.
Pours out to a syrupy thick ink black, forming a thick dark cocoa head with average retention, sparse lacing. The nose is definitely full of bourbon but on top of that classic expedition nose we all love...prunes, dark chocolate, raisins, figs, soy sauce and black walnut. Mouthfeel is smooth and syrupy, dense bodied. Medium light carbonation, ~2.25 carbs or so. Taste is a recap of the nose. The bourbon is well balanced with the other complex stuff going on here and gives it a more warming presence that traditional Expedition. Bitterness is mild and earthy, hops are kept in check by copious malts. Considering the rich complex malts, there is no sourness or astringency here...this easily happens in lesser RIS's if the roasted malts are overdone. One is enough. It's a heavy hitter and very rich. This might be great over dark chocolate ice cream. Hrmmm. Might have to try that.
Feb 20, 2022Pours out to a syrupy thick ink black, forming a thick dark cocoa head with average retention, sparse lacing. The nose is definitely full of bourbon but on top of that classic expedition nose we all love...prunes, dark chocolate, raisins, figs, soy sauce and black walnut. Mouthfeel is smooth and syrupy, dense bodied. Medium light carbonation, ~2.25 carbs or so. Taste is a recap of the nose. The bourbon is well balanced with the other complex stuff going on here and gives it a more warming presence that traditional Expedition. Bitterness is mild and earthy, hops are kept in check by copious malts. Considering the rich complex malts, there is no sourness or astringency here...this easily happens in lesser RIS's if the roasted malts are overdone. One is enough. It's a heavy hitter and very rich. This might be great over dark chocolate ice cream. Hrmmm. Might have to try that.
Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri
4.27/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.27/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Black in color with no light penetration. There's a fingernail of brown around the rim. The aroma is of piney hops and dark malt. I'm tasting piney hops and sweet bourbon. The mouth is thick and chewy.
Jan 24, 2022Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois
4.76/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
4.76/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
12oz bottle
PKG 11/17/2021, 13.4% ABV
I swear I’ve had this before…but no review (?)
L: jet black body, thin brown head
S: bourbon barrel, dark cocoa, roast, char, caramel
T: very oaky, boozy bourbon, dark chocolate, roasted barley, vanilla, toasted coconut, caramel, earthy hops, tobacco leaf, leather
F: full body, sticky & smooth, ample carbonation, a boozy sipper with a dry finish
O: I thought I had this one before, but nothing seems familiar; either way it’s one I’ve always wanted to get my hands on and I guess I finally did! Such a great beer!
Jan 16, 2022PKG 11/17/2021, 13.4% ABV
I swear I’ve had this before…but no review (?)
L: jet black body, thin brown head
S: bourbon barrel, dark cocoa, roast, char, caramel
T: very oaky, boozy bourbon, dark chocolate, roasted barley, vanilla, toasted coconut, caramel, earthy hops, tobacco leaf, leather
F: full body, sticky & smooth, ample carbonation, a boozy sipper with a dry finish
O: I thought I had this one before, but nothing seems familiar; either way it’s one I’ve always wanted to get my hands on and I guess I finally did! Such a great beer!
Expedition Stout - Bourbon Barrel-Aged from Bell's Brewery - Eccentric Café & General Store
Beer rating:
99 out of
100 with
806 ratings
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